Each year, the NZDR organising group put on two main events, the NI1600 / NI800 event, and their 1KC rides. The 1KC stands for the ‘1-K Cruise’ – It’s 1000km long and is intended to be a social event, allowing people to perhaps ride in groups and take a more relaxed approach to an endurance ride.
It also provides an opportunity for those who have done the NI800 ride, to follow that up with a slightly longer day’s ride.
It commonly starts at about 6:30am in both Wellington and Hamilton. This year we did the Hamilton ride, it was a great route which took us around the Waikato, through Awakino, around Cape Egmont, back up to Whangamomona and through the Forgotten Highway to Taumarunui, through Western Access, to Rotorua and back to Hamilton.
The following two videos show a 5 minute section of the Forgotten Highway, some of which is unsealed, just before the seal starts again. The scenery through that part of the ride is amazing.